Author(s)

Changhua Lin, Chongjian Ma

Corresponding Author

Chongjian Ma

Abstract

Alkali stress can seriously affect plant growth, but plants can cope with stress damage through measures such as secreting organic acids. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the response of energy grasses to alkali stress and the effect of alkali stress on organic acid secretion. In this experiment, different alkali-tolerant energy grasses were used as materials; by simulating high alkali stress environment with red mud residue, the growth of plants, the chemical characteristics of soil samples and the organic acid secretion in root systems were studied. The results showed that high alkali stress could seriously inhibit the growth of energy grasses, but when organic matters were added, energy grasses could grow vigorously. Among them, Pennisetum hydridum and Pennisetum purpureum Schumab cv. could even obtain enormous biomass, effectively improve the alkaline soil and reduce pH values. After alkali stress occurs, energy plants secrete organic acids rapidly. The organic acid contents of energy herbs, as well as the speed and duration of organic acid secretion are closely related to the adaptability of plants to alkali stress. This study provides useful information for the preliminary response of different energy grasses to alkali stress such as organic acid secretion, and provides a direction for further research on the adaptation mechanism of different energy grasses to alkali stress.

Keywords

Alkali stress, energy grasses, Pennisetum hydridum, organic acid, red mud